COOLING APPARATUS FOR FUEL CELL

• Main Author: KOTANI KUNIO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.09.1997
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRICITY; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent cracking of a separator by forming an installation groove for a cooling pipe in the whole length along a cooling pipe and filling a gap in a linear part of the installed pipe with a thermally conductive compound. SOLUTION: In a cooling apparatus, an installation groove 22a in which a cooling pipe 13 of a cooling plate 22 is to be installed is so formed as to go along a cooling pipe 13 in the whole length. Moreover, a gap in a linear part of the cooling pipe 13 installed in the installation groove 22 is filled with a thermally conductive compound 24. Consequently, thermal expansion and contraction between the cooling plate 22 and the cooling pipe 13 due to the driving and stopping of the cooling apparatus can be released in a steal part 22b and since the hollow part of the cooling plate 22 of the cooling apparatus is made narrow, the cooling plate 22 and the separator are closely attached to each other in almost whole surface area and the separator is prevented from cracking even if the cooling apparatus is inserted and pressed in a fuel cell layered body. Moreover, the cooling pipe 13 can be structurally and thermally united with the cooling plate 22 due to the thermally conductive compound.